I don’t want to be an athlete. Am I in the right forum?
Three months ago in March, I started my C25K journey. 74 years old, 16 stone+ in old money. 101Kg and change in metric. A few years ago I was a regular outpatient at our local hospitals for while and it still hurts that a nurse said “ Well you are technically obese!” I stopped smoking then, and put more weight on. I didn’t look bad if I sucked my stomach in. I took a couple of walks a week, parked a bit further from the shop, to no avail. I like my food too much, although I ate lots of salad and fruit, along with bread, cake, cheese,& pasta. Finally, I got my first phone that had a camera and broadband with apps and things. Handmedown from the grandkids. Loaded the app, set off early one morning for a walk. Accompanied by Sarah Millican in my ear. Well round the corner, out of sight of the neighbours, I broke into a gentle jog for a minute, then walked again. You know the plan. Ran out of puff, ran out of charge, ran out of broadband. We are out in the country here! Repeated week one! Settled down with Laura’s C25K podcast on the iPod, which comes with music. About week 4/5 I didn’t need to suck my stomach so hard. 6/7 I seem to be a couple of kilos lighter. Finished week 9 with a slow 5K.
Couple of weeks ago I decided to join my wife and count calories. Weigh and note all I eat. That many calories in just a teaspoon of mayo? It’s a bit of a task to do, but there’s enough online help. Set yourself a daily target. Add those calories up for a weekly target to allow you to go over on one day and under on another. Hungry? Eat, but sensibly and write it down. Cheat and it will take longer. Bit like C25K!
Repeated week 9 which was a bit boring, while I read about what to do next. Bridge to 10K? Not really me. If I want to go that far I have a bus pass.
I am amazed that I can run for thirty minutes. Very happy with that. Could improve my breathing perhaps? Do I run in a good posture? Could I improve my footfall?
I think these are my current goals. Look more like a runner than an old feller jogging.
Finally settled for Stepping stones. So this morning I set off with Laura again.
She wants me to run at 150 steps a minute, in time with the music? Gulp! 150!
Warm up walk then off we go. 1234,1234. She keeps coming back and counting. 1234, 1234. Five minutes then up the speed to 155. 1234,1234, and again. Five changes, 25 minutes gone, I am wet with sweat and rain. This is my first rainy run on this course. I just ran several hundred metres further than I did on my week 9 30 minute runs. Wow! That seemed to go very quickly cos I was concentrating on my 1234 steps. Interesting tip from that podcast? Put your feet down as if you are cycling, round and round, up and down.
A lot of people on the forum, some time ago were a bit scathing about Stepping Stones. It seems because they were better than it, to start with. They may do better on Bridge 25K? I am not fast, think JSR, so I found it very useful and the repeat is certainly is going to carry me through a few more runs. Then I might look at the Speed or Stamina versions. C25K inspired me to be more careful with my diet in balance with my exercise. After this mornings run I am 96.3Kg. Losing a little more and being a little fitter seems a reasonable aim. I don’t want to be an athlete. There is life beyond C25K for us shufflers.
Three cheers for NHS and Laura. Particular thanks to the dedicated ADMIN team. Am I still in the right forum?
w1r1 complete - hang on, what!?
I'll need to speed up cos this is one bus I don't want to catch!
Do I need to run faster?
Oh I Do Love to Be Beside the Seaside: Graduation Run
I am an athlete!!! (sort of)
